Gotham: the Killing Joke
by PotCFan101
Summary: What I think the series finale should be like, whenever it is. Jerome Valeska escapes Arkham Asylum and kidnaps James Gordon, intending to drive him mad, and only Bruce Wayne can stop him. Rated M for occasional swearing, graphic violence, and disturbing scenes. And because the movie was rated R.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

 _Arkham Asylum_

Bruce Wayne stepped out of one of his family's limousines, modified into what he called the "Batmobile". It had been a year since he had decided to become the hero that Gotham needs, and dressing in a special suit Lucius Fox gave him, the Gotham media had labeled him as "the Bat" vigilante.

"You're going to be alright, Bruce?" Alfred asked.

"Yes Alfred, thank you." Alfred nodded, before driving back to Wayne Manor. Bruce put on his cowl, and began walking to the gates of Arkham Asylum, where Commissioner Gordon was waiting for him. Gordon had become commissioner a year prior, when his partner, Harvey Bullock, just couldn't take it anymore. Gordon had found out the vigilante was Bruce sometime later, after he was saved from the Scarecrow. Since then, Gordon had given Bruce information on crime and intel from the GCPD.

"You mind telling me what this is all about?" Gordon asked, handing his coffee to a fellow officer.

"I need to speak to him." Bruce simply stated, entering the Asylum and walking down the halls.

"Listen to me. He's been in custody for over a year." Gordon said, as they passed the cell of the once proud DA Harvey Dent, now the scarred Two Face. "If we can prove what we found today-"

"Then he'll confess." Bruce interrupted.

"He's insane, Bruce." Gordon scoffed. "It's a mistake to think you'll know what he'll do." They finally arrived at a cell reading 0801, with the name unknown.

"I'm not here because of what was found today." Bruce said, entering the cell. "I'm here because I need to be." Bruce took a chair and sat down next to the one prisoner, pretending to play with a deck of cards.

"Hello, Jerome." Bruce said. "I want to talk. I've been thinking about how this is going to end between you and me. Perhaps you'll push me to the limit where I finally kill you. Perhaps you'll finally kill me. I just… want to know that when that time comes… I actually tried to reason with you." The man remained silent, while still playing cards.

"Listen to me!" Bruce said, grabbing Jerome's arm. "This is life and death. Mine or yours. Our relationship is fatal, and I don't want your murder on my-" The man let go, and Bruce saw white paint on his black clad glove. Narrowing his eyes, Bruce grabbed the man, and wiped off more white makeup, revealing the prisoner wasn't Jerome Valeska at all.

"Hey, you can't do this! I got rights!" The man screamed.

"Where is he!" Bruce yelled. "Do you realize what you've released, what it's capable of? Do you have any idea? Where is he?" As Bruce threw the man against a wall, James Gordon opened the door.

"What the Hell do you think you're doing?" Gordon demanded. "If you touch one hair on that man's head-" Gordon stopped, as Bruce threw him a ginger haired wig to him.

"Let's try this again." Bruce said, dangerously close to Jerome's decoy. "Where is he?!"

 _(Title card)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

 _Gotham Amusement Park_

"Ah, there you are! Have you found the property to your liking?" The owner of the amusement park asked.

"Well, the rides are noisy and ugly. The games are dangerous, enough to kill someone. And to top it all off, it smells like a dead skunk died in a shit stained porta potty." A man, his face concealed by a large brimmed hat, said with a sneer.

"Oh, you don't like it?" The owner asked, disappointed.

"God, no, sir. I love it!" The man said with a joyous voice.

"You want to buy it? And the price I asked isn't too much?" The owner asked.

"Oh no. Money isn't a problem." The man said, pulling out a knife and slitting the owner's throat. As the owner fell to the ground, the man smeared blood on his lips in a grotesque smile, and lifted his head, revealing himself to be Jerome Valeska.

"Not anymore."

 _Flashback_

 _Haley's Circus_

 _Kansas City_

" _C'mon mom, I want to see everyone else in the circus!" Jerome said to his mother. It was Jerome's ninth birthday, and instead of staying in his trailer, he had wanted to see all the other circus performers._

" _No Jerome." Lila Valeska, a snake dancer, said._

" _But mom!" Jerome pleaded, but was met with a punch to the jaw. Jerome screamed in pain and fell to the floor, while Lila just drank liquor from a bottle._

" _Shut that fuckin' kid up!" A man said, entering the small trailer._

" _Sorry honey, he's bitchin' again." Lila said, drinking again._

" _Fine, I'll do it myself." The man, who was the snake charmer of the circus, began to beat Jerome mercilessly with a belt, then his fists. Eventually, he let up, but only to let Lila start beating the kid. After what seemed like forever, Lila and the snake charmer took a break from beating Jerome, and went to the back of the trailer to begin intercourse. Not wanting to take it anymore, Jerome ran outside, crying. He sat down next to the trailer, and was approached by the fortune teller, named Paul Cicero._

" _Why are you crying, Jerome?" Paul said, unable to look at Jerome due to him being blind._

" _It's my birthday." Jerome said while still crying. "And my mom and the snake guy are beating me!"_

" _Well, this world doesn't care about you or anyone else, Jerome." Paul said coldly. "Better to realize that now." Cicero then left, as Jerome continued to cry. From that day on, Jerome Valeska's hatred of his mother, the blind fortune teller, and the entire circus grew, until one day, he would finally snap._


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

 _Wayne Manor Cave_

 _Now_

Bruce sat at his father's computer, watching archived footage of the gala that Jerome and the Maniax crashed years ago. He was contemplating what the psychotic criminal might do after his escape from Arkham.

"Everything alright, master Bruce?" Alfred asked, bringing him a cup of tea.

"No Alfred." Bruce said, taking the tea and sipping it. "I just don't understand. How can a kid around my age be so evil?"

"We might never find out, Bruce." Alfred replied with a poker face. "There are some men that we may never fully understand."

"It's just… I believe that everyone deserves another chance. That's why I have refrained from killing." Bruce said, looking again at the footage, watching as Jerome nearly slit his throat.

"Every day, that line between justice and vengeance becomes more blurred." Alfred stated. "But you promised that once you started this crusade, you would never cross it." Nodding, Bruce shut off the computer, preparing to go back out to search for Jerome.

 _Iceberg Lounge_

Oswald Cobblepot was watching GCN, Victor Zsasz standing next to him.

"In other news, reports are coming from Arkham Asylum that the criminal named Jerome Valeska escaped earlier tonight." The reporter, Valerie Vale announced. "The police commissioner James Gordon said that he had no idea that he had escaped until the vigilante only known as "The Bat" by the press found out."

"Great, another psycho trying to undermine my authority." The Penguin grumbled, shutting off the TV.

"You know, boss, he could be useful." Zsasz suggested.

"I don't care!" Cobblepot yelled. "If he comes anywhere near here, I want you to blow his damn head off!"

"Okay, boss." Zsasz replied nonchalantly, loading his pistols while whistling.

 _Selina Kyle's apartment_

Selina shut off the TV, after hearing about the breakout at Arkham Asylum. Hearing a noise behind her, she got up from the couch and grabbed her whip given to Tabitha Galavan.

"Whoa, kitty." Tabitha said, stepping out of the shadows.

"Why are you here?" Selina asked.

"You watched the news?" Galavan asked.

"Yeah. You worried about me?" Selina asked. Tabitha nodded.

"Just making sure he wouldn't come after you."

"Why the Hell would he do that?" Selina inquired.

"My brother killed that freak once. He probably knows I used to work with you. So, he could go after both of us." Tabitha explained. "Besides, he knows you used to hang out with that Wayne kid. And Wayne was the last kicked that little prick's ass."

"I can handle myself." Selina reassured Galavan.

"Okay then." Tabitha said, leaving the apartment. Neither knew that Bruce was outside the window, listening.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

 _James Gordon's Apartment_

"I hate this." Gordon said, reading a newspaper. The headline read, "Jerome Valeska escapes Arkham!"

"Everytime he comes back, it gets worse. The first time, he killed his mother, then Cicero covered it up. Then he went and caused chaos at a gala and almost killed Bruce Wayne. The next year, he plunged the entire city in anarchy, killing hundreds.

"Each time we lock him up, I pray to God that he stays there. Then he escapes, and now all we do is hope he doesn't do anything as bad this time."

"Jim, for once can you relax from work? I made us coffee." Lee Thompson said. After the incident with the Tetch virus, Lee had forgiven Jim for killing Mario Calvi, and they had married.

"Thanks honey. I'll drink it once I've gotten this paper cut and pasted." Jim said, taking scissors and cutting out the headline and picture.

"I didn't know you had a scrapbook." Lee noted.

"Only for the really dangerous criminals." Jim explained. "Jerome, Penguin, Barbara, Nygma, even Butch Gilzean. Heh. I remember this." Jim pointed to a picture of the Bat vigilante. "This was the first confirmed sighting. But there were rumors that he appeared months prior." Suddenly, they heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Lee said, getting up. "I think one of the doctors is here to give me a result on a blood test."

"Do you remember when this vigilante turned up?" Gordon asked.

"Well, I did hear this one report. On the night that we were cured of the Tetch virus, that a couple and their daughter were walking through an alley when a mugger pulled a gun on them." Lee said. "Before he could pull the trigger though, someone in a masked hood and trench coat jumped down from a building and knocked him out cold, before disappearing just as quickly."

"And do you remember Jerome?" Gordon asked.

"He used to scare the shit out of me." Lee shrugged. "Now he doesn't after he came back and we had a small talk." Lee opened the door, only to be met by a man in a hawaiian shirt, a huge purple hat, and a camera.

"What's up, doc?" Jerome cackled, before pulling out a gun and shooting Lee in the neck. Lee gasped and fell back, shattering the coffee table.

"Oh my God, Lee!" Jim screamed, running over to Lee's side and holding her. "Stay still, and eyes on me!"

"Oh don't worry, Jimbo." Jerome said. "It's a psychological complaint amongst all doctors. Guess she's the coffee table edition. I can't say much for this condition, with there being a pain in the neck."

"You son of a bitch, I'll-" Jim got up, ready to stab Jerome with the scissors, but was quickly punched in the gut by two of Jerome's henchmen that entered the apartment.

"Would you? Good." Jerome laughed, drinking some scotch from the cabinet. "Alright boys, don't kill him too much. I want to save him for the big event." The criminals then dragged Jim away, leaving Jerome with Lee.

"Don't worry, doc. I'll take good pictures of you for ole Jimbo if you die. Whoops! Spoiler!" Jerome laughed, taking out his camera.

"Why… are you… doing this?" Lee croaked out.

"To prove a point." Jerome said, beginning to unbutton Lee's coat. "Here's to crime."

 _Flashback_

 _Haley's Circus_

 _Gotham_

 _It had been several years since Jerome began to truly hate his mother, and his mental state was rapidly deteriorating. On this final day however, just as the circus arrived in Gotham City, his mother had given him barely anything to eat, while letting Bozo the clown beat the shit out of him. Finally, when they were done abusing him for a moment, they went to the tiny bedroom to have sex in Paul Cicero's trailer._

" _And Jerome, go do the dishes!" Lila screamed at him, while moaning from the intercourse. Finally, Jerome snapped at the last salt in the wound. He had waited patiently for Bozo to leave, and then he got a hatchet._

" _Hello, mom." Jerome said, raising the hatchet._

" _Jerome, what are you doing?" Lila said, drunk._

" _What I should've done for a while." Jerome replied. "You can be a whore. You can be a drunken whore. But don't be a nagging, drunken whore."_

" _What do you mean?" Lila said, now afraid._

" _Don't tell me to do the dishes, when you're banging a clown in the other room!" Jerome screamed, before bringing the hatchet down and slicing parts of her face and neck. Just as he finished the grisly task, he heard Cicero enter the trailer._

" _My God, Jerome, what have you done?" Paul said._

" _Get out of here, old man." Jerome growled._

" _No, I'll help you with this." Cicero said, beginning to clean up the blood. "You'll want to lose that hatchet, boy. Might do good to make it look like it belongs to a cult too." Jerome took that advice, and with a small knife, carved an inverted pentagram and markings of the Hellfire Club into the hatchet, and sneaking away from the circus tents, threw it off of Arkham Bridge. Once Jerome returned to the trailer, Cicero was gone, and he heard a knock at the door. Jerome quickly cleaned the blood off his face, and answered the door, where he saw the ringmaster with a man and woman he didn't know._

" _GCPD." The man said. "We need to speak to Lila."_

" _She's not here." Jerome said innocently. "Why, what's happened?"_


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

 _Iceberg Lounge_

 _Now_

The Penguin sat at one of the tables, thinking about Jerome's breakout. Suddenly, he turned on the news to see if there was anything else going on.

"This just in, Commissioner James Gordon's home was broken into just a few minutes ago." Valerie Vale announced. "The police report that they were notified by one of Lee Thompkins colleagues at the hospital when he arrived to give her test results on blood. He found Thompkins without clothes, and bullet wound in her neck. Police have transported her to Gotham General to tend to her injuries. Gordon was nowhere to be found. Some believe that it was Jerome who broke in and kidnapped him. The only question we have is… where did they go?"

Cobblepot shut off the TV, visibly shocked.

"I know that Jim and I haven't been on great terms lately, but I would never wish this on him." Oswald said. Suddenly hearing the door open, Cobblepot turned around and stood up. The person who had walked into the Lounge was Tabitha Galavan.

"Well, how did it go?" Cobblepot asked.

"No luck, Selina's not coming." Tabitha replied.

"Dammit!" Oswald shouted.

"But," Galavan said, "I did make sure she'll be coming back."

"And how'd you do that?" Cobblepot asked.

"Because she needs us." Tabitha explained. "She can't survive on her own. She's barely making it now. She'll come crawling back."

"Fine." Penguin grumbled, before sitting back down.

 _Gotham General Hospital_

"A doctor went to the apartment and found her like this." Harvey Bullock explained the Bat vigilante. "He also noted that she was in a state of… undress."

"Undress?" The Bat asked.

"You didn't hear?" Bullock asked. "That sick freak removed her clothes after shooting Lee. We found a camera lens that didn't fit any camera in Jim's apartment. We believe he took pictures of her like this." The Bat didn't say anything, just clenched his hands into fists. Seeing he wanted to be alone, Harvey left the hospital room.

"Dr. Tompkins?" The Bat asked. Lee slowly opened her eyes, and seeing the Bat, was about to scream for help.

"Lee, don't!" The Bat said, taking off his cowl. "It's me, Bruce!"

"Bruce?" Lee said, finally fully awake. "Bruce, it was Jerome! He took Jim, and… oh God, what he did."

"Dr. Tompkins, it's okay…" Bruce said, taking her hand.

"No, it's not okay. He's gotten even worse this time. He said he wants to prove a point. What's he going to do to Jim, Bruce?" Lee asked. Upon hearing footsteps walk towards the door, Bruce put his cowl on, said goodbye to Lee, and quickly left.

"Hey, Lee, I thought I heard you scream. I wanted to check to see if you were-" Bullock opened the door, only to see the only person in there was Lee, and an open window. "-Alright. Damn, now I know how Jim feels."


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 7_

 _Gotham Amusement Park_

"Get your ass up, pig!" One of Jerome's henchmen said, kicking Gordon awake.

"I remember you…" Gordon said, looking at the man. "You were the ringmaster for the Circus years ago."

"I said up! Now!" The former ringmaster said, shocking Gordon with a stun stick. It was then Gordon realized he was stripped of his clothes and forced to crawl, while being herded like an animal. After walking a few moments, the ringmaster ordered Gordon to get down, and look up, where he saw Jerome sitting on a throne of baby mannequins, wearing a type of white face paint.

"What the Hell is happening? What am I doing here, Valeska?" Jim demanded.

"Oh, you're doing what any sane person would do in your predicament." Jerome cackled. "You're going… CRAZY!"

"Oh God, I remember…" Gordon said, memory dawning on him. "Lee…"

"Don't worry about the memories, old boy! I find the past such a confusing place. It's like puberty. You think it's just gonna be a cakewalk, but soon, you add a few inches to your spine, and you're growing hair in places you don't want to know! Hahaha!" Jerome laughed. "I remember those times. So many new emotions… mostly about the different ways to kill someone… and then, it leads you to place you wouldn't dare go." The ringmaster tugged on Gordon's chain, leading him to a bumper car.

"Memories can be like vile, little brats at times. But like children, can we live without them? Remembering is how our reason and morals are based upon! Although, why can't we live without them? It's not like we're in a contract with them. There is no sanity clause!" Jerome continued. "So if you are ever in a tight jam while thinking, always remember: madness is your way out, Jimbo. Just walk out, lock the door behind you, and throw away the key. Be free… forever." At this point, the ringmaster had strapped Gordon to the car, and climbing onto the rear, the car went through a set of doors onto a Hellish coaster ride.

 _Flashback_

 _Arkham Asylum_

 _It had been six months since Jerome was first imprisoned at Arkham, and to him, it was just another boring day. After scaring the Hell out of some of the staff, only the director, Hugo Strange, was brave enough to prepare therapy sessions with him. Not even Ethel Peabody was willing to take care of him._

" _So, Jerome, when did you remember to start having the urge to kill your mother?" Hugo asked politely._

" _Oh, I dunno." Jerome said, twiddling his thumbs, acting like he didn't have a care in the world. "Maybe when I was born. Maybe it was when she started boozing, boning, and beating. Maybe it was that time she told me to wash the dishes while she was fucking bozo in the next room."_

" _I do not think that throwing an insult will help this session." Strange said, while writing something down on a notepad._

" _Aren't you supposed to be the smart one doc? That was his name. He was a dumbass clown!" Jerome said, propping his feet up on the desk._

" _Very well." Strange said. "So, shall I state that you have no memory of when you decided to kill your mother?"_

" _It's a bit fuzzy, like watching a movie and fast forwarding to all the good parts." Jerome said. "The good parts are usually me getting beat, then murdering my dear mommy, and finally, freaking that idiot cop Gordon out right before I got here."_

" _Fine Jerome. I'll have to take a look at these. I'll be right back, so in the meantime, do not touch anything in here." Hugo then got up and left his office, leaving Jerome alone in the room. Jerome looked around the room, and saw a phone near the entrance. Getting up, Valeska walked to the phone and punched in a number._

" _Who is this?" A deep voice said from the phone._

" _Hiya Earl! How ya doin? Have you lost any weight yet?" Jerome giggled._

" _What the Hell do you want, Jerome?" The ringmaster asked._

" _I got a proposal for ya, old buddy!" Jerome replied. "I want you and the freakshow to help me out on something in the not too distant future!"_

" _Why should we help you?" The ringmaster demanded. "You killed Lila!"_

" _Can you really blame me now? After all the beatings she gave me?" Jerome asked, fake crying._

" _I- no, I can't." The ringmaster said._

" _That's right! Besides, I heard the circus fell apart after I, er… left." Jerome said. "Whaddya say, wanna have one last performance!"_

" _Alright, Jerome, but this better be a good one." The ringmaster said. "I'll spread the word to the others._

" _Good! I'll let you guys know when I'll need ya! Think of it as a favor. Bye!" Jerome then hung up and sat back in the chair, propping his feet up just in time for Strange to come back in._

" _I apologize for keeping you waiting, Jerome." Hugo said, going back to the desk._

" _Don't mention, chrome-dome." Jerome said, jumping up._

" _Unfortunately, I believe that is all the time we have for today." Strange said. "I have business to handle. Mrs. Peabody will direct you to the cafeteria." At that moment, Ethel Peabody entered the room, and led Jerome to the cafeteria of the Asylum, while Strange consulted a woman with an owl mask on one of the television screens. Jerome just sat next to the cannibal, Robert Greenwood, until he heard the door open, signaling that there was a new inmate. Looking over his shoulder, Jerome saw a woman in a dress, sunglasses, and had blonde hair being led by a doctor. Oh, he knew of her. She was Barbara Kean, the ex lover of James Gordon. He heard she was recently driven insane when a serial killer, the Ogre, got her to murder her parents, before she was apprehended by Gordon and his new squeeze, Lee Tompkins. Once Barbara looked at him, Jerome flashed one of his bone chilling smirks, before she walked away._


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 8_

 _Amusement Park- Coaster Ride_

"Heads up, Commish! No fair shutting your eyes on this ride!" Jerome said over the intercom. James was forced to lift his head to the screen, seeing a giant version of Valeska on a screen.

"Now, I know you're confused and frightened, but whenever you're in the pits of life's bowl of cherries, just remember this song. It's really catchy, I tell you. Music, Babs."

"Barbara?" Jim asked, remembering that "Babs" is short for his ex lover, Barbara. Soon, the music played, and he could hear Jerome singing loudly:

" _When the world is full of care_

 _And Every headline screams despair_

 _When all is rape, starvation, war, and life is vile_

 _There's a certain thing I do_

 _Which I shall pass along to you_

 _That's always guaranteed to you smile_

 _I go... Looney_

 _As a light bulb battered bug_

 _Simply...Looney_

 _Sometimes foam and chew the rug_

 _Mister, life is swell in a padded cell_

 _It'll chase those blues away_

 _You can trade your gloom for a rubber room_

 _And Injections twice a day_

 _Just go Looney_

 _Like an acid casualty...or a moonie_

 _Or a preacher on TV_

 _When the human race wears an anxious face_

 _When the bomb hangs overhead_

 _When your kid turns blue, it wont worry you_

 _You can smile and nod instead_

 _When your...Looney_

 _Then you just don't give a fig!"_

At this point, the screen changed to showing the body of a woman, naked, scared, and covered in blood. It only took a second for Gordon to realize who it was.

"Lee?" Jim said, horrified at what he was seeing. "NOOOO!"

" _Man's so puny_

 _And the universe so big_

 _If you hurt inside, get certified_

 _and if life should treat you bad_

 _Don't get even...Get Mad!"_

"Yeah!" Jerome finished his song, and Gordon was still forced to keep moving through door after door, until his car reached the end of the ride.

 _Crime Alley_

Bruce smashed his fist into the jaw of a criminal threatening to mug a family, remembering that fateful night when his parents were gunned down by Matches Malone. He then kicked the other thug in the gut, before ripping off Jerome's mugshot photo from a building's wall.

"Have you seen him anywhere?" Bruce growled.

"How the Hell should I know?" The thug said, spitting out blood. Bruce grabbed the man's arm and twisted it.

"Where. Is. HE?" Bruce asked again.

"I swear to God, I don't know!" The criminal said. "Go ask Falcone, or that Penguin freak!"

 _Falcone's Bar_

Bruce gently opened the doors to Carmine Falcone's club, the last property he owned in Gotham after Penguin took over.

"Have you seen Jerome Valeska?" Bruce asked, holding up the mugshot.

"No, Bat. I have not seen him. I tend to keep my business away from people like him." The former Don said. "Why don't you ask Cobblepot? He now has more power in Gotham than I do."

"Thank you, Falcone." Bruce said, and exited the bar.

 _Iceberg Lounge_

"Bill, what's that noise?" Oswald asked, hearing something outside. "Go check the door." The henchman, named Bill, went to the entrance of the Lounge, pulling out a switchblade. Before he could open the door, it was kicked open, sending the henchman flying across the room. Bruce Wayne, dressed in his vigilante attire, stepped inside.

"Zsasz, take care of this rodent problem!" Penguin shouted, and Zsasz began shooting his guns. But Bruce was quicker, and he dodged the gunfire with ease, before knocking Victor out cold.

"Tabitha!" Cobblepot shouted desperately, and Tabitha Galavan jumped up and tried hit Bruce with her throwing daggers.

"I'm not in the mood, Galavan." Bruce stated, before tripping her. He then walked over to Penguin and grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Where's Jerome?!" Bruce said.

"How should I know that?" Penguin shouted.

"Because not a dime changes hands in Gotham that you don't know about. Now where is he?" Bruce demanded.

"I swear, I don't know!" Oswald said.

"Do. Not. Lie to me." Bruce said, softly but coldly.

"I'm not! I had Zsasz prepare to waste that brat before you had decided to beat the shit out of him!" Cobblepot said.

"Fine." Bruce threw Penguin into the bar and began to leave.

"Don't worry, we'll let you know if we find him though." Oswald said.

"Why's that?" Bruce asked, turning back around.

"Because we're more scared of him than we are of you." Penguin said, before pulling out a cigar to light. Grunting, Bruce left the Iceberg Lounge just in time to see a bat shaped signal in the sky that he had Lucius Fox build for Gordon. Quickly, Bruce made his way to the GCPD.

 _GCPD_

"Glad you made it." Harvey Bullock said once Bruce arrived.

"What is it, captain?" Bruce asked in his vigilante voice.

"These arrived a few minutes ago." Bullock said, reaching into his coat and pulling out two tickets indicating the amusement park circus. Bruce looked closer, and saw that it showed Gordon as the main attraction. Without a word, Bruce jumped off the GCPD's roof and vanished in the night.


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 9_

 _Amusement Park_

Finally, Gordon's car reached the end of the ride. Unfortunately, Jerome was waiting for him. Most notable in his appearance is now, is that instead of the usual ginger red hair, Jerome had died it a bright green. As Gordon looked around, he noticed that Barbara Keane was indeed with him.

"Oh there you are!" Jerome said, feigning surprise. "I was beginning to worry! That coaster sure is scary, huh? Did you piss yourself, Jimbo? I won't tell anyone if you did! But when he went in, he was no more than a healthy young man. And now? He's fully grown man! But that's what a good dose of reality will do to ya. That's why I never touch that stuff, it'll mess with my youth…"

"Hey, Jimmy, you still in there?" Barbara knocked on Gordon's head when he didn't respond.

"Good lord, he's a complete vegetable!" Jerome mock gasped. "Put him in the cage, boys, for our audience to see! And to reflect how crazy life is…"

 _Flashback_

 _Arkham Asylum_

" _Okay Jerome, I was able to smuggle this red wig into Arkham when I got here." One of Jerome's henchmen said, meeting with Jerome in the cafeteria._

" _Excellent, Artie!" Jerome said excited. "Now, you pretend to be me, and go back to my cell, while I sneak into the laundry and get the Hell out of here!"_

" _If you say so, boss." The henchman said. "But what if that vigilante guy shows up?"_

" _Oh, I don't think he's nearly as tough as people say he is." Jerome laughed. "Besides, once he hears of this, I'll be long gone."_

" _Okay man." The henchman put on the red wig, and once it was time to leave, the decoy was led back to his cell, while Jerome hid under a table and snuck into a laundry bin. Once the bin got to the chute, Jerome waited for the staff to leave, and then he slid down, finally out of Arkham. Smiling, he picked up a phone that was also smuggled in, and called the ringmaster._

" _Hey Earl! Remember that favor?" Jerome asked._

" _Jerome?" The ringmaster said. "I heard you were dead."_

" _Turns out I'm not, old friend." Jerome replied. "Now, I need you to round up the others and meet me at the old amusement park. We have a lot of work to do." Jerome then hung up and chuckled to himself. As he began to leave for the amusement park, he noticed a black car arriving to the Asylum, and out stepped a man, clad in black. Jerome assumed this was the so-called vigilante, and hurried over to the park._

 _Once he got to the park, Jerome was dressed in a purple suit and hat, had a cane, and was looking for the owner of the park._

" _Ah, there you are!" The owner said behind Jerome. "Have you found the property to your liking?"_


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 10_

 _Selina's Apartment_

 _Now_

Selina entered her apartment, tired after the long night. First she heard that crazy ginger escaped, then her old mentor, Tabitha, had completely left her out to dry. Now, she had to go looting and robbing on her own. As she looked around her apartment, Selina noticed that the window was half way open, the wind blowing the curtains gently. Frowning, Selina went over to the window and closed it. Suddenly, Selina sensed she wasn't alone, and turning around, quickly lashed out with her whip. However, the man in the shadows brought up his arm, and the whip wrapped harmlessly around his wrist. As the man pulled away, the whip was ripped out of Selina's hands, and he stepped out of the shadows, all clad in black.

"Who the Hell are you?" Selina asked harshly.

"Selina, it's me." The man said, removing his cowl and revealing himself to be Bruce Wayne.

"What do you want?" Selina demanded.

"I need your help. Gordon's been kidnapped." Bruce explained.

"And why should I help him?" Selina asked coldly.

"Because I was wrong." Bruce admitted. "You really do care about people. You didn't want to see Alfred die, you don't like it when I'm in danger, and we're your friends." Selina thought about it for a moment, weighing the apology.

"Alright, I'll go." Selina said, taking her whip back and putting on her goggles and hat. "Any idea where Gordon is?"

"Jerome Valeska kidnapped him and took him to the amusement park." Bruce said, putting his cowl back on. "Alfred's right outside, he'll drive us there."

 _Amusement Park_

"Ladies and gentlemen, whores and murderers, I present to you one of the scariest freaks to ever walk the Earth!" Jerome said in a megaphone, causing his henchmen and the circus members to laugh. "It is a creature so vile and loathsome, it will give you shudders and nightmares! I give you… the AVERAGE MAN!" A curtain was opened, revealing a seemingly broken Jim Gordon in a cage.

"As it is physically unremarkable, it feels it must compensate with an odd set of morals. Notice it's weird caring for humanity." Jerome continued. "The deformed sense of optimism and what some call a 'conscience'. It's not for the faint of heart, but fine for the type who eat said hearts!" The crowd whooped and laughed like a pack of cackling hyenas.

"Most repulsive of all, is it's warped sense of seeking law and order in a world of chaos." Jerome said. "If too much weight is placed on it's sanity… well, they snap. How does it live, you ask? How does this poor creature survive in this madness? I'll tell you! 'Barely'." As he said this, some of the henchmen noticed a pair of pale lights approaching, as if the eyes of a beast.

"Er, Jerome…" The ringmaster said.

"Not now, Earl, I'm making a killing!" Jerome said. "As I was saying, when it is faced with the fact that the world has gone mad, usually, two in seven of them would crack and go stark raving looney! But who can blame them? In a world as psychotic as this…"

"Um boss," A henchmen said, noticing the two white orbs getting brighter, and closer.

"SHUT UP!" Jerome screamed, pulling out a gun and shooting the henchman in the head, causing blood to go all over his suit and face.

"How rude." Jerome said, taking a handkerchief and wiping the blood as best he could. "Anyway, literally any other response would be just crazy!" Just then, the white circles arrived in the forms of headlights for a big black car. Jerome recognized this as the car he saw the vigilante used at Arkham earlier that night, and stood his ground. The vigilante and Selina Kyle jumped out, fighting off the henchman with ease.

"Oh Earl, Babs," Jerome called, causing his two closest allies to fight the vigilantes. He had noticed that the vigilante had some trouble fighting the ringmaster, but was eventually able to trip him, then smash his fist into his face, knocking the ringmaster out cold. Selina, on the other hand, had a lot of trouble with Barbara.

"Hey, kid, remember me?" Barb said, punching Selina.

"What the Hell happened to you?" Selina asked, dodging another kick. "How are you still alive?"

"Well, after Tabby decided to give me some electroshock therapy, I was brought back by some guy named Ra's Al Ghul." Barbara replied, backhanding Kyle.

"Yeah, heard of him." Selina said, getting up. "But did he teach you to fight dirty?" Selina then wrapped her whip around Barbara's waist, and pulling her toward herself, knocked Kean out with a punch to the face. Selina then went to check on Gordon, as Bruce confronted Jerome.

"What have you done to him?" Bruce demanded, tackling Jerome to the ground and grabbing his jacket. Bruce paused though, upon seeing Jerome's emerald hair, pale skin from the paint, and the crimson smile from the smeared blood. This gave Jerome enough time to pull out a pocket knife and slash Bruce's arm, causing him to be let go.

"I've shown old Jimbo the truth." Jerome said, getting up and running toward the building labeled the "House of Fun". "I've shown him that the world is a vile and cruel place, and madness is the only solution!" Jerome then entered the house, leaving Bruce, Selina, and Gordon.

"Jim, are you okay?" Bruce said softly, opening the cage. Gordon began breaking down, reaching out to Bruce and Selina for comfort.

"Oh God." Gordon sobbed. "Oh my dear, dear, god."

"It's alright, let it all out." Bruce said, comforting the vulnerable commissioner.

"He shot Lee, took photos of her. He tried to drive me insane." Gordon said.

"I know, Jim." Bruce said, ripping off the curtain from the stage and placing it around Jim. "Listen, Bullock is right behind me. We'll stay with you until they arrive."

"No!" Gordon suddenly said, startling Selina and Bruce. "No, I'll be fine. You have to stop him! I want that bastard brought in, and I want it done by the book."

"I'll do my best." Bruce said, standing up. "Stay with him Selina."

"I'm going with you." Selina protested.

"No, Jerome's fight is with me." Bruce said. "He did all this to get to me. So I'm going to end this." He then walked to the house of fun, alone.

"By the book, you hear?" Jim said, as Bruce entered the house of fun. "We have to show him! We have to show him our way works!"


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 11_

"Ah, I'm so glad you could make it, Bat." Jerome's voice echoed in the hall of mirrors portion. "But I must ask: what does it matter to you if I go back to Arkham, if it doesn't matter to me? Gordon's been driven insane, so I've proven my point. All it takes for an ordinary man to become someone like me is just one bad day. That's where everyone is right now. One bad day." Bruce kept running through the hall until a trapdoor dropped out from under his feet. Quickly thinking, Bruce grabbed at the ledge right next to him, stopping him from falling onto a bed of spikes. He then got back up, beat up a few henchmen who tried to kill him, and proceeded.

"You had a bad day once too, didn't you, Mister Bat?" Jerome mocked. "I know I'm right. You had one bad day, and your entire life changed. Why else are you a man who thinks he a bat, and goes beating criminals to a pulp in the dead of night? But no, you pretend the world isn't crazy, and you force yourself to believe you're not insane, and you won't admit it! God, you make me want to puke." Bruce just kept running through the maze.

"Really, though, what is it that made you like this?" Jerome asked. "Girlfriend killed by the mob? Your best friend carved up by some psycho? Or… parents shot dead by a mugger in an alleyway?" At the last guess, Bruce stopped cold in his tracks.

"Ah, there it is." Jerome said. "I know who you are. I know that you're Bruce Wayne. I should've figured it out, ever since our first little royal rumble when I came back from the dead." Bruce then started running again, seeing a flight of stairs.

"I know, because something like that happened to me, you know. It's why I killed my parents." Jerome said, with a nightmare inducing grin. "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another, because it's more fun having your past be multiple choice, ha ha ha…" Bruce then entered a room that looked like a small apartment, but everything was upside down.

"But you see, my point is…" Jerome came up behind Bruce, hitting him with a pot from the table. "...I went crazy. And I'm smart enough to admit it!" Jerome then pulled down a chair, and broke it over Bruce's head.

"So why can't you?" Jerome asked, kicking Bruce in the face to keep him down.

"Jerome, why…" Bruce began to ask, but was hit again by the madman.

"NO! Jerome died long ago. I am the Joker!" The newly named Joker threw his head back and laughed, before continuing to brutally beat Bruce.

"By clinging to reality, you're denying the reality of this situation!" Joker then started throwing plates and coffee pots at Bruce, ending with hitting him with a frying pan.

"I mean, do you have any idea how many times we've come close to World War Three over a flock of geese on a computer screen? You silly goose, it's all a game! So why can't you see it?" Joker pulled out a knife, preparing to kill Bruce. "Why. Aren't. You LAUGHING?" Bruce got up and punched Joker in the face, before throwing him into the upside down table.

"Because I've heard it before, and it wasn't funny the first time." Bruce said, before picking up the Joker and pushing him against a wall.

"I spoke to Commissioner Gordon before I came in here." Bruce explained, watching the Joker become more and more angry. "He said he wanted you brought in by the book. And do you know what that means?" Bruce paused, waiting for an answer. When he got none, he continued.

"It means that despite the Hell you put him through, James is as sane as he ever was." Bruce said, punching the Joker in the face. "So maybe, ordinary people don't crack. Maybe it was just you, this whole time."

"NO!" Joker yelled, poking Bruce in the eyes and ripping off his mask. As Bruce let go of the Joker, he pulled out a gun, aiming at Bruce's now exposed face. Without a second thought, Bruce punched the Joker, right beneath a shelf with jars full of chemicals. One of the jars fell, and crashed all over Joker, causing him to feel burning. As the clown screamed in pain, Bruce tackled him out of a window and outside, as it had begun to rain. Joker kicked Bruce off of him, and readied is gun again. With a maniacal grin, he pulled the pistol, only to see water shoot out of the barrel.

"Oh, goddamn it." Joker said, realizing it was just a water pistol. Throwing the gun to the side, he said sarcastically, "Well, what're you waiting for, rich boy? Kick the shit out of me, and getting your thundering applause."

"No. Not this time." Bruce said, confusing Joker. "I don't know what it was that turned your life around, but you know I've been there too. We could work together. I could find a good doctor to rehabilitate you. We don't have to kill each other. Please." Bruce extended his hand to the Joker, lying on the ground. "Let me help you." Joker looked up at Bruce, then his hand, then back at Bruce.

"I'm sorry, but no." Joker said solemnly, slowly getting up. "No, it's far too late for that." As the storm raged on, Joker started giggling a bit.

"Y'know, Bruce, this reminds me of a joke." Joker said. "See, there were these two guys in a lunatic asylum. But one day, they got bored, so they climbed to the roof, and just beyond the walls, was the rest of the city, was freedom. Now the first guy, he makes it across just fine, but the second guy, he's afraid of heights. So the first guy says 'Hey! I got this flashlight! I'll shine it across the gap, and you can walk across!' But the second guy goes, 'Whaddya think I am, crazy? You'll turn it off once I'm halfway across!'" Joker then started cracking up. "Excuse me, I'm sorry." But to his surprise, Bruce started laughing too. Both men started laughing so hard, they had to support each other in standing up. Pretty soon, Bruce heard the police sirens coming to apprehend the Joker, and after handcuffing the clown, Bruce put on his hood, and disappeared into the night before Bullock could see him, leaving the laughing Joker to the police.


	11. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

 _Gotham General Hospital_

"We've just gotten reports that Jerome Valeska, now calling himself 'The Joker', has been apprehended by the police." Valerie Vale said on the GCN news station. "Police report that commissioner James Gordon was kidnapped by the psychotic serial killer and was brutally tortured until the Bat vigilante arrived and stopped him. I'm now speaking with police captain Harvey Bullock."

"Earlier tonight, that ginger kid broke into Jim's apartment, shot his wife, and then took Gordon to the Amusement Park." Bullock said into the microphone. "The sick freak tried to drive him insane, but the Bat showed up, and we were able to capture him. When we finally caught him, he looked like he had this face paint burned into him. Doctors at Arkham said that the paint and the green hair dye are permanently imprinted into his skin now."

"We were not able to get any comments from the vigilante, as he left before the police showed up." Valerie said. "This is Valerie Vale, of GCN." Lee shut off the television, stressed from the whole day. Just then, Gordon, Bruce, and Alfred entered the room.

"I'm sorry this happened." Gordon apologized. "He shot you to get to me."

"Don't blame yourself, Jim." Lee said. "You didn't mean for Jerome to come here."

"Well, after a talk with the doctors here, you'll be able to leave the hospital in about a week." Alfred stated. Nodding, Lee turned to Bruce.

"Thank you Bruce, for bringing Jim back." Lee said.

"Wait, you knew?" Jim asked.

"Yes, I told her tonight." Bruce said. "I need more help than just Selina at times."

"And I'll be able to treat Bruce's injuries in secret." Lee added. "He can't show up to a hospital every day."

"Thank you, Doctor Tompkins." Bruce said, as he and Alfred left the hospital to let Jim and Lee be alone.

 _Wayne Manor_

Once Bruce and Alfred got back to the Manor, Alfred could tell that Bruce was feeling angered.

"Something wrong, Master Wayne?" Alfred asked.

"I don't get it." Bruce admitted. "I stopped Jerome. I rescued Gordon. Why does it feel like I lost?"

"I suppose you are feeling guilt for what happened to Doctor Tompkins?" Alfred asked.

"Yes." Bruce said.

"That was not your fault, Bruce." Alfred said. "You couldn't have known that bloody Jerome was going to go after Gordon." Suddenly, they heard footsteps in the kitchen. Quietly, Bruce and Alfred entered the room, and were about to knock out the intruder, when they heard a familiar voice.

"Is this how I'm always going to be welcomed here?" Selina Kyle asked.

"Well, if you had tried knocking, you wouldn't be." Alfred replied.

"What is it, Selina?" Bruce asked.

"Anyone who helped Jerome out is now locked up, including Barbara." Selina informed. Then seeing the surprise on Bruce's face, she said, "What, I wasn't going to just kill her."

"Is there anything else?" Bruce asked.

"Actually, yeah." Selina said. "Remember all that face paint and makeup 'The Joker' wore? Turns out he got hit with an unknown chemical, and it all got burned into his face. That look is gonna be permanent." Bruce then started to regret knocking Jerome into that wall earlier.

"I didn't mean…" Bruce began, but was stopped by Selina.

"Hey, what's done is done." Selina said. Just as Bruce was about to speak, they all heard a knock at the door. Alfred went to go see who was there, grabbing a gun in case it was a criminal.

"Lucius!" Alfred greeted.

"Hello, Alfred." Lucius said, entering the manor with a large briefcase. "I got something for Bruce." Bruce opened the briefcase and peered inside. In the case was a new suit, with bladed vambraces, a chest symbol shaped like a bat, and even a proper cape. But what caught Bruce's eye was the cowl. It was just like the one he had lost during the fight with Jerome, but had pointed ears on top.

"After all those times last year when the suit got beat up, I began working on a new one." Lucius explained. "The ears were a final touch after I heard that maniac had taken your previous cowl."

"Thanks Lucius." Bruce said, lifting up the suit.

"You're going to need a new name for this." Selina said.

"Miss Kyle is right, it's getting tiresome to just hear you being called 'the vigilante'." Alfred added. "Got any ideas?" Bruce grinned, thinking back to when Jerome called him a man who thinks he's a bat, and said the first name that came to mind.

"Batman."

 _The End_


End file.
